Awakening
by PiercetheNightVale
Summary: Skye is afraid of her new powers and decides that she is a danger to the people around her. Will Coulson be able to make Skye realize that her team still needs her?


Skye couldn't feel anything yet she could feel everything all at once. Time and earth moving around her. _Because _of her. She was moving the stone pillars that were trapping her inside the temple. But she wasn't controlling herself. She didn't know how she was doing, but her body was reconstructing the world around her without her mind's consent.

She could feel ever atom of air coming into her lungs and every molecule of carbon dioxide that left. For the first time in her life, she was completely aware of her surroundings. She was omnipotent. She could sense every living life form in the catacombs and several people in the building that hid them.

May would be proud of the focus she was exhibiting. But Skye couldn't think about May, she couldn't think about any of them. There was no way she would be able to go back to Shield. Not with what she now understood. She was power; a burning ball of pure potential that would eventually explode. Too powerful for her own good, and too dangerous to be around anyone ever again.

She could sense him enter the temple, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Skye couldn't accept the terror and confusion that would be on Coulson's face. The realization that Skye was a monster like her father. She'd rather die than see her family turn on her. She had the fleeting thought that this must be how Ward felt when he was exposed. The shame at knowing that everything people believed about him was true. She felt just the slightest bit of empathy for the traitor. Maybe she wasn't better than him after all.

Skye could feel Raina behind her, grinning and embracing her new form. She was feeling everything that Skye could not. She had no previous life to mourn. Why couldn't Raina have been the chosen one? Why was Skye the one who was cursed to finally find a family, only to have them torn away from her?

"Skye?" a voice called timidly from below her. Coulson still hadn't left. He hadn't given up on her yet. Skye allowed herself a small smile. Coulson was still here. But that would make her death that much more painful. Someone she loved was going to be forced to watch it. Because Coulson would never leave without her unless it was too late to save her.

"Skye, look at me," he said. Was this Skye? He couldn't be sure. Maybe something had invaded her, like whatever had possessed Mack. But Coulson couldn't leave. She'd want him too, but he cared about her too much to abandon her.

Skye forced herself to look down. She hadn't realized how high she had been hovering. She was at least 15 feet over Coulson's head. At least he wouldn't be able to interfere.

"Leave" she said, trying to make her words sound more sincere than they were. She wanted nothing more than to return to her family, but she couldn't. She didn't know what she was, but it wasn't Skye. Skye was gone, replaced by whatever creature could withstand the Obelisk.

But with her words, any doubts Coulson had had about her were gone. That was Skye's voice, and that was Skye's body dangling 20 feet in the air. Those were Skye's tears falling on the dirt of the temple. This was Skye in more pain than Coulson could ever imagine. This was his Skye, and he couldn't leave without her.

"You know I won't do that" he replied. He still had his gun out, ready for any threat that could come. But he had a feeling that nothing here would harm Skye and nothing would harm him without permission. Coulson glanced back at Raina. She was also floating in the air, but she seemed euphoric whereas Skye just looked devastated. Whatever had woken Raina up was killing Skye.

"Go, Coulson" she begged, "I can't leave here"

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand" she said, "There's so much that you can't understand. No human can"

"So you're not human?"

"No," she replied, "I'm worse and I can't go back"

"Don't say that, Skye"

"That's not my name" she said. She said it so forcefully that her body shot back down to the ground and she was looking Coulson in the eye, her feet hovering inches over the temple floor. She stared down at her hands, terrified of these new powers she couldn't control, "That's not my name" she repeated, her voice broken as her whole identity became lost to her. Everything she thought she was, she wasn't and it seemed like everything she prayed she would never be, she was becoming.

"Tell me what happened," Coulson said in his most soothing voice, hoping to reach through the mess that must be going on in her mind

"She's awakening" another voice said. Raina. Her voice had taken on a breathy, blissful tone, "A Daisy has to grow, and grow she will"

"Raina's right." Skye said, "The Skye you knew and cared for is dead. I'm awake now, Coulson. Things can't go back to the way they were."

"I know that," Coulson replied, "But we can get you through this together"

"A Daisy has to grow" Skye echoed.

"Is that what he named you?"

"It's not just a name" Raina said, returning back to the ground, "It's a title"

"A title?"

"Poor little Daisy doesn't fully understand yet" Raina said as she stepped forward, "But I do"

"Care you explain, then?" Coulson asked, his patience running thin. Raina had always been one to talk in circles, but time was a luxury they did not have. The longer Skye stayed in here, the harder it would be for Coulson to get her out. There was no time for Raina's games.

"Happy to comply," Raina replied. She stepped between Skye and Coulson, almost protectively. For once, Skye was glad to have Raina there, "We're goddesses Coulson."

"Goddesses?" Coulson said, "That is a new one"

"What, you're friends with Thor and you can't believe this?"

"This is different, Raina," Coulson insisted, "I know you and I know Skye."

"You know what we used to be," she repeated, "We've awakened into our full forms."

"Skye" Coulson said, turning his attention back to her. She looked like the scared little girl he had come to love. The one who truly believed that all she brought was destruction, "Come back to the Bus with me"

"She can't Coulson," Raina said, "This is our city and our purpose is to rebuild it"

"To hell with your purpose," Coulson shouted, "To hell with Gods and the obelisk."

"Leave, Raina" Skye said

"Daisy-"

"You heard me, go" Skye repeated.

"It's in my nature to obey you, Daisy," Raina said as she hesitantly backed up, "So I can't stop you if you choose to leave. But remember your status. Neither Hydra nor Shield can control you anymore; you're above them. Your place is here with your kingdom."

"If you're duty is to serve me, then obey" Skye said. Raina looked like she wanted to argue further, but she did as Skye commanded and left the temple

"How did you-"

"Raina might be a goddess" Skye said slowly, "But I'm in charge here. She's the sky, but I'm the earth. And I can't leave"

"You can" Coulson insisted, "Come home, Skye"

Without warning, Skye shot back up into the air. Coulson tried to grab for her, but she was out of his reach in a split second, "Don't you understand, Coulson. I don't have a home at Shield. I never did"

"You father did this," Coulson said, coming into a sudden realization, "He filled you with stupid ideas about your heritage."

"It's the truth!" she screamed, then said calmly, "They tried to warn you. Wherever I go, death and destruction follow. But you couldn't accept it. You kept me there and people got hurt. People are dead because of me, Coulson. Tripp is dead because of me"

She gestured to the ash below her as tears began to stream down her face, "Oh god," Coulson said. He felt nauseous. Tripp was dead and Mack was probably too far gone to save. But Skye… he needed to save her

"Now you're beginning to understand" she said sadly, "And I think I killed Ward," she placed her head in her hands, "I promised I'd never take another life, yet I shot him with no hesitation. I don't what I've become, and it's scaring the hell out of me, Coulson. Maybe…"

A shard of the Obelisk began to levitate closer to Skye. It's edge was sharp, almost like a knife. Coulson's face contorted in horror as he realized what Skye was doing.

"Everyone would be safer if I was dead" Skye said, her voice barely above a whisper. The shard moved closer to her throat. Skye shut her eyes, preparing herself for the release her death would bring. There would be consequences. Raina would inherit this kingdom, and Skye didn't know what she would do with it. But Raina would be better than her. She was meant for leadership. She wasn't reckless like Skye and she truly wanted to improve others, in her own way. Raina would be a just Queen. And Shield would be able to live without the threat of destruction that Skye had brought. A small smile appeared on her lips. This was the right choice.

"Skye, stop!" Coulson yelled. He couldn't mask the desperation in his voice, and he didn't want to. He needed Skye to hear that he was terrified to lose her.

Skye opened her eyes and looked Coulson in the eyes, "Leave, Coulson, please" her voice was breaking, "You don't have to watch this"

"I'm not leaving without you"

"I'm trying to keep you safe!"

"You've saved this team's lives more times than I can count, Skye."

"I've caused all of this. Whitehall knew I could touch the Diviner. That's why he wanted me so badly. And my father… things would be easier for you with me gone"

"How can you say that?" Coulson asked. He couldn't stop the tears gathering in his eyes. He was so close to her, yet he couldn't reach, "How can you possibly think that this team can adequately function without you?"

"I'm just a hacker"

"I'm not talking about your value as an agent. You're great in the field, but I could easily find someone to replace you. I'm talking about you as a person" Coulson said, Skye opened her eyes and looked down at him, "because who else could I find that could break down May's walls? She made me promise that I'd never make her an SO, yet she volunteered to train you"

"I was just a job to her"

"Maybe at first, but it's more than that. May loves you, even if she doesn't show it." Coulson admitted, "And what about Jemma? You're her best friend, Skye. In so many ways, you're the only thing keeping her here. Losing you would destroy her" Coulson could see Skye's resolve begin to break. He almost had her, "And who else would Lance shamelessly flirt with to make Bobby jealous? Who else would go along with it and flirt right back? He doesn't know how to interact with women he doesn't sleep with, but you're teaching him how to. He needs you.

"And Fitz. You share more with Fitz than you know. Right now, he just needs a friend to be there for him. Someone to watch stupid Sci-Fi movies with him. How could he live without you?"

She began to lower herself even further. Coulson could reach her now. He gently grabbed her ankle and brought her back to earth, to where he could keep her if she tried to run again. The shard was still floating worryingly close to her, but Skye had seemed to lose her eagerness to use it.

"And me" Coulson said, "This job doesn't allow you have a family. I was too scared to have children of my own. But as luck would have it, I adopted a little orphan girl who had no one else," Coulson touched her face tenderly and brushed her tears away, "And I watched her become a hero, right before my eyes. A rebellious little delinquent was transformed into someone who'd sacrifice herself to save her family without a second thought. I'd be honored to call her my daughter"

Skye's last bit of resolved shattered as she took in Coulson's words. The shard clattered to the ground as she collapsed against Coulson, who wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her as close as she could get.

"I'm sorry" she sobbed into his chest, "I'm so sorry"

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from this, Skye" Coulson said as she ran his hand through her hair comfortingly.

"You tried," Skye said, "I didn't listen. I kept digging when I shouldn't have. And then I couldn't even clean up my mess"

Coulson gently pushed her away so he could look into her eyes, "Don't ever say that your life it a mess that needs to be cleaned up" his hands remained on her shoulders protectively, rooting her in place, "I have no idea what your father could have sad to you to make you believe that you're worthless, but Shield would fall apart without you"

"Let's not talk about him," Skye sniffled, "Since my real dad is right here"

Coulson smiled and pulled her back into an embrace, "Anything you want" he smiled

She pulled away and grabbed his hand, "Let's go home"

The two left the temple hand in hand, Skye's past and new powers forgotten for the time being. Neither had any idea what the future would hold, but they knew that they would get through it together, with the rest of the team. As a family.


End file.
